lace. The officers on their return, politely informed
me, that they should _visit our house_ on the morrow. I felt obliged for
this information, and accordingly made preparations to receive them by
secreting as many little articles as possible; together with
considerable silver; as I knew if the war should be protracted, we
should be in a state of starvation without it. But my mind was in a
dreadful state of agitation, lest it should be discovered, and cause my
being thrown into prison. And had it been possible to procure money from
any other quarter, I should not have ventured on such a step.

"The following morning, the royal treasurer, the governor of the north
gate of the palace, who was in future our steady friend, and another
nobleman, attended by forty or fifty followers, came to take possession
of all we had. I treated them civilly, gave them seats, and tea and
sweetmeats for their refreshment; and justice obliges me to say, that
they conducted the business of confiscation, with more regard to my
feelings than I should have thought it possible for Burmese officers to
exhibit. The three officers with one of the royal secretaries alone
entered the house; their attendants were ordered to remain outside.
They saw I was deeply affected, and apologized for what they were about
to do, by saying that it was painful for them to take possession of
property not their own, but they were compelled thus to do by order of
the king. "Where is your silver, gold, and jewels?" said the royal
treasurer. I have no gold or jewels, but here is the key of a trunk
which contains the silver--do with it as you please. The trunk was
produced, and the silver weighed. This money, said I, was collected in
America by the disciples of Christ, and sent here for the purpose of
building a kyoung, (the name of a priest's dwelling;) and for our
support while teaching the religion of Christ. Is it suitable that you
should take it? (The Burmans are averse to taking religious offerings,
which was the cause of my making the inquiry.) "We will state this
circumstance to the king," said one of them, "and perhaps he will
restore it. But is this all the silver you have?" I could not tell a
falsehood. The house is in your possession, I replied, search for
yourselves. "Have you not deposited silver with some person of your
acquaintance?" My acquaintances are all in prison, with whom should I
deposit silver? They next ordered my trunk and drawers to be examined